CBT....I knew that it would be emotionally hard, but I have woken up feeling like I have been hit by a car all over again........is it normal to also hard physical symptoms????

My neck actually feels like I suffered whiplash yesterday! I had hoped a shower would help, but I seem to be getting tighter, not looser.....

I am finding all this quite tough, more so than I thought I would even tho I was warned. I guess I figured that they warn you worse case feelings but that wouldn;t be me as I only had car accidents, not some of the stuff others go thro.

and part of me feels as tho I am not allowed to feel like this either, so altho I said yesterday I don;t feel angry with the drivers anymore, I now feel very very guilty that I am allowing it all to effect my life in this way............however 'normal' she says I am/allowed to feel like this.

Nbg, yup, my therapist yesterday had me doing relaxation excersises and made me very aware of how I was holding myself. I was alert to how tight my shoulder were getting........so even more of a shock today.

also, I have felt tight the day after each session, but not like this. this really is almost as bad as whiplash......to the fact that turning my head hurts (altho I can right now, with the real whiplash I couldn;t IYGWIM).

but then, maybe right now I am making myself worse by thinking about it???

Psychomum, pain is crap and really drags you down, I get spinal pain due to an accident and really sympathise with you.Things I do. Electric blanket in bed on low all night as getting cold makes pain worse.

Support pillow in bed..heaven!

Heat pads from chemists for localised warmth..not a cure but brings relief.

Alexander technique....I can't do links, but has helped with posture.

Stick with physio, mine was mismanaged and I have really suffered for it.

Consider low dose of antidepressants, we don't hold ourselves right when we are stressed and this aggrevates back/neck pain. Or alternative therapies like lavendar oil, anything to help you relax.

Take good care of yourself and I hope you feel better soon. and healing hugs.

flame dragged me swimming in the end this morning....I was sobbing on MSN to her this morning threatening giving it all up.....bad dreams again last night and not sure how much I can take of it all. I was supposed to have physio today but when I woke up I was feeling so tight and sick I cancelled....apart from anything at that point I felt that bad I thought maybe bug and I did not want to share......flame figured otherwise and decided I needed an endorphins (sp?) kick and it is all physical reactions to CBT.........hence swimming.

It has worked a little.

I think part of what is going on is that I suffered PTSD after the car accident (the one that I am having CBT for) and needed AD's......all the CBT is raising the same issues again, which I was warned about, but I didn;t figure that the PTSD would come back with such a vengence......I really am struggling more than I thought I would.

I don;t want to go back onto AD's, even if only to get me thro the CBT, but, the way I feel right now, I am tempted to give up as I am so scared.

oh, and next week, she is making me go thro the crash in major detail........she says to get my brain stop sticking at the moment of impact and get it past that into me being ok at home again.

My doctor used the anti-depressants to help my muscles relax, because it is so hard not to tense up when you are in pain. It is obviously down to what suits you but pehaps you could use them as a temporary stop gap whilst you get everything else into your control.

I also learnt some simple meditation techniques to help control panic/anxiety attacks. I didn't have CBT and regret it.

I am a long way down the line from my accident and as hard as it is right now you will get through it especially if you can keep believing and telling yourself that you will. I am obviously not a professional and can only tell you the things that helped me but I found focussing on who I was before the accident and being determined to get back to being that person gave me the drive to keep fighting sometimes. The experience changed me so so much but it is possible to slowly turn the negative into positive. Also I tried not to look ata the big picture otherwise i got overwhelmed, just bits at a time

You always come across as quite a strong person and you just need to keep feeding that strength. I don't think you will give up..just give yourself a chance. Too much mou philosophy but I really do empathise with your position.

but DrH.......you know how uptight I get at the thought of taking them.Ok for others, for me it is like admitting I am failing and becoming like my mum again (and yes, I know that is not logical, but who said I was logical).

mou and hanaflower......thankyou both for your replies. I think that you are right, it is overwhelming and I am trying to be kind to myself. It just smacks against 'me'......I am not used to feeling like I am not coping.

I read on another thread on here today a comment about ADs. Someone said that she thought of people who took them as being v strong. Strong enough to know that they need them to help them through something. Not a sign of weakness at all. I thought it was interesting.

I've been having CBT for about 6 months now, and occasionally, after a difficult session I feel really ill. Not in pain, but sweating and nauseas and as if I'm going to faint. Emotionally, I usually feel churned up but also lighter than I did before I went in. I often ask my therapist to miss a week so I can recover from a really bad session. It takes up a lot of my energy going over things that are painful and confusing.

Was it your first session this week? Hopefully it will get easier once you get into it. Definitely tell him/her about your physical symptoms as well.

Oh, it sounds very different to my CBT. Mine isn't to help me cope with anything specifically, but to help overcome emotional issues from childhood. I basically turn up at the sessions and talk about whatever is bothering me and my therapist helps with strategies. I've never been forwarned about a session where I'd have to talk about anything specific.

The hardest sessions are when my therapist correctly identifies why I'm moaning about a particular thing, and I have to get more specific. It's extremely uncomfortable and they are the times that I feel ill afterwards.

Do you have a set amount of sessions so the therapist has a set agenda at each appt? If not could you tell her that you're terrified and not ready yet. Maybe you'll feel more able to talk about the accident when you're comfortable with her.

I'm sorry it's such a painful, frightening experience for you. I've heard other people say this as well though, although they also say that they benefitted hugely, so that's a really positive thing. I do hope you're feeling better soon PM5